intereft of his mafter, and a noble and glorious enter- Geo. I. prize (a).

feffion of

1716-17. The parliament of Great Britain met on the 20th of February, according to their laft prorogation; and the king The fecond being come to the houfe of peers with the ufual folemnity, the fifth and delivering a speech into the lord chancellor's hands, it parlament was by him read to both houses.

t

"My lords and gentlemen,

I

cc Was in hopes, that the fuccefs which it pleafed God to give us, in defeating the late rebellion, might have fecured to the nation peace, plenty, and tranquillity.

"My endeavours have not been wanting, during your "recefs, to improve the happy prospect which was in view, "by entering into fuch negotiations, as I judged most con

ducive to thofe good ends: And it is with pleasure I can "acquaint you, that many defects in the treaties of Utrecht, "which very nearly affected the trade, and even the security "of these kingdoms, have been remedied by fubfequent con"ventions, the happy confequences of which have already very fenfibly appeared, by the flourishing condition of our "trade and credit.

of Great

Britain.

"By the alliance lately concluded with France and the The king's "States-General, we are foon to be eased of all future ap- peech. C. "prehenfions from Dunkirk and Mardyke. The pretender " is actually removed beyond the Alps: His adherents are "deprived of all hopes of fupport and countenance from "France; and even the affistance of that crown is stipulated "to us in case of exigency.

"It seemed reasonable to expect, that fuch a fituation of "affairs at home and abroad fhould have recovered from "their delufion all fuch of our fubjects, as had unhappily "been feduced by the craft and wickedness of defperate and "ill-defigning men, and thereby have afforded me the op"portunity, which I defired, of following the natural bent

(a) To justify this invafion, it was urged, that king George, as elector of Hanover, had af fifted the princes in confederacy against the king of Sweden, proclaimed war against him, aided the king of Denmark to take Bremen and Verden, and

afterwards purchased these two
duchies of him: And this year
had given inftructions to Sir
John Norris to join the Danish
and Ruffian fleets in the Baltick;
which the adiniral did accord-
ingly.

D 2

" of

Geo. I. " of my own inclinations to lenity, by opening this feffion 1716-17. "with an act of grace. But fuch is the obftinate and inve"terate rancour of a faction amongst us, that it hath again "prompted them to animate and ftir up foreign powers to "difturb the peace of their native country: They will "choose rather to make Britain a scene of blood and confu"fion, and to venture even the putting this kingdom under "a foreign yoke, than give over their darling defign of im"pofing a Popish pretender.

"I have ordered to be laid before you copies of letters, "which have paffed between the Swedish minifters on this "occafion, which contain a certain account of the projected "invafion: And I promife myself from your experienced zeal "and affection to my perfon and government, that you will <6 come to fuch resolutions, as will enable me, by the bleffing of God, to defeat all the defigns of our enemies against

<< us.

"Gentlemen of the house of commons,

"I did hope, the putting an end to the late rebellion "would have fo far fecured the peace and tranquillity of the "nation, that I might, confiftently with the fafety of my "people, have made a confiderable reduction of the forces. "But the preparations, which are making from abroad, to "invade us, oblige me to afk fuch fupplies, as you shall find

abfolutely neceflary for the defence of the kingdom.

"You are all fenfible of the infupportable weight of the "national debts, which the public became engaged for, "from the neceffity of the times, the preffures of a long and "expensive war, and the languishing state of public credit. "But, the fcene being now fo happily changed, if no new "disturbances fhall plunge us again into ftreights and diffi"culties, the general expectation feems to require of you, "that you should turn your thoughts towards fome method "of extricating yourfelves, by reducing, by degrees, the "debts of the nation.

66 My lords and gentlemen,

"I have an intire confidence in you, and have therefore "nothing to afk, but, that you would take fuch measures, "as will beft fecure your religion and liberties. While you "preferve thofe inestimable bleffings, I fhall fit eafy and lafe

" on

"on my throne, having no other view but the happiness and Geo. I. "profperity of my people" (b). 1716-17.

an intended

The king being withdrawn, and the commons returned to their houfe, Mr. fecretary Stanhope laid before them Scheme of copies of the letters which paffed between count Gyllenburg, invafion and the barons Gortz and Sparre, and others, relating to a defign rebellion, of raising a rebellion in Great Britain, to be fupported by an invafion from Sweden. By thefe letters it appeared, that a defign was formed to dethrone king George, and conducted in such a manner, as almost to warrant fuccefs. Artful papers were published to foment and increase discontent and divifion; the apparent, tranquillity enjoyed in Great Britain, was to be an occafion of requiring and obtaining the reduction of the national, and difmiffion of the foreign forces; fhips, bought at different places, were to affemble at Gottenburg by the end of March, when the east winds usually blow, on board of which eight thoufand foot, and four thousand horfe, were to embark, with artillery, ammunition, and arms for fifteen thousand men. The great number of the difaffected had been so far relied on, that the secret of the negotiation had been trufted in England but to very few perfons; nothing was tranfacted in writing; no treaty was made; the mutual concern for the fuccefs of the undertaking

(b) Befides the treaty of commerce with Spain (by which the three articles tacked to the treaty of Utrecht were revoked, and all other grievances in trade removed) and the triple alliance between Great Britain, France, and the States, the king had concluded another treaty with the emperor,May 16,1716, which he did not think fit to mention to the parliament. By this treaty there was to be perfect unity between them, and each was to reckon the advantages and loffes of the other as his own. They were to defend one another in the poffeffion of all their prefent kingdoms, provinces, and rights, and, in cafe either of them was attacked, the other was to affist with eight

thousand foot, and four thou-
fand horfe, or with ships in pro-
portion. No prince was to be
admitted without common con-
fent; but the States were to be
admitted, and even invited with-
out delay, to accede to it. By
a feparate article this treaty was
not to extend to the emperor's
wars with the Turks.

The defign of this alliance
was to rouze the jealousy of
France, and incline the regent
to haften a treaty with England.
Accordingly, when he heard of
this treaty, he refolved to enter
into an alliance with Great Bri-
tain and Holland, and the treaty
(as hath been faid) was conclu-
ded at Hanover the beginning
of the next year.

Géo. I. was, as it were, the warrant for the promises that were 1716-17.given.

his method of treating prolonged the negotiation, but withal was a fecurity against the ill confequences of a difcovery. Both fides were equally defirous of being concealed, The king of Sweden abfolutely refused to appear in the affair, all the time of execution; and the pretender's friends, with whom count Gyllenburg treated at London, would not eng for any thing till they had his master's word. They did not care to labour in vain; but, as foon as they should have the affurance of his affiftance, money fhould not be wanting, nor means to fupport the affair. Upon this, baron Gortz Ipoke out more plainly. He fent word, he had done nothing but upon the knowledge of his master's intentions, and had lately been impowered in form to prosecute the enterprize. He fent a copy of his full powers, which were unlimited, and it was visible they were fo extenfive, only becaufe there might be no occafion to mention the affair, which was to be concealed from the minifters at Stockholm.

This affurance removed all uneafinefs and irrefolution; money was given; views were explained; means of subsisting the foreign troops were particularifed; a perfon was prɔcured, who was perfectly acquainted with the coafts where it was refolved they should land; fhips of war were provided, from fixty to seventy guns; merchant-men, that were to carry corn to Gottenburg, were to ferve for transports. The scheme was well laid, and the execution feemed infallible; especially, if the army had been reduced, and the Dutch forces fent home. Twelve thoufand chofen Swedes, in a condition to receive thofe that were ready to join them, would have quickly formed a powerful army: Encouraged by fuch an army, the people would have rifen on all fides: The Highlanders would have all been in arms: The torrent would have increased without ceafing, and a battle would have decided the affair. Thus much is certain, the project was infinitely better concerted than the laft year's: The continual motions of the Swedish forces would have ferved to cover the true defign, till it would have been too late to oppofe it; a few days fufficed to convey them into Scotland or England. But a timely difcovery confounded all these meafures, and established king George on the throne (c).

The

(c) The reader may fee all the following abftracts of the thefe particulars, at large, in letters.

The

The letters, being read in both houses, raised the utmoft Geo. I. indignation in all the well-affected to the government, and 1716-17. addreffes were prefented, full of the moft lively expreffions of loyalty and zeal, and of refentment against the proceedings of the late miniftry. The lords, in their address, said, ‹ We